X-ray apparatus.



J. B. WANTZ.-

X-RAY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13. 1915.

1,236,792. Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

mi/tuna I Y a a-Mam J. B. WANTZ.

X-RAY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13. 1915.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

JI QQIIIQ'I. Juuus B. WHNTZ (Duncan J. B. WANTZ.

X-RAY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13. 1915.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917 3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

JULIUS B. WANTZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY IFESNE ASSIGNMENTS.TO

' VICTOR ELECTRIC CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

a CORPORATION or ivnw X-RAY arranarusi Application filed-February 13,1915. Serial No. 7,958.

' To all whom it may concern:

Ill

Be it known that I, JULIUS B. WANTZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented anew and useful Improvement in X-Ray Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

One of my objectsis to provide an X-ray apparatus which shall be adaptedfor use with either the common or ordinary form of X-ray tube, or therecently devised so-called Coolidge tube, or other tubes employing aheating element, permitting the operator to use either variety of tube,as desired. The

Coolidge tube referred to is one which involves means for electricallyheating the cathode of the tube and by which the quantity of X-rays maybe varied by varying the temperature of the cathode.

' Furthermore, these" tubes of the type employing a heating element areequipped at one end with plugs having spaced contacts, the Coolidgetubes being equipped with screw-plugs at the cathode ends of the tubesfor connection with the electrical supply; and another of my objects isto pro vide an adapter which may be applied to the plug end of the tubeand provide connections for the tube with the electrical connectionscarried by the apparatus with which the tube is to be' used. Anotherobject is to provide novel, simple and efiective means for insulatingfrom the ground, the current-conducting means which carry the currentinto a casing iii-which the X-ray tube holder is located, and otherobjects as will be manifest from the following de-- holder for an X-raytube of either the come mon form or of the type employing a heatingelement, as for example, a tube of the Coolidge type, with the terminalsof a high tension circuit; and by a perspective view,

apparatus for supplying exciting-current,-

, from a storage battery, to the tube, with a tauting device for holdingthe wires conducting the exciting-current, in taut condition. Fig. 2 isa similar view of the X-ray tube-holder shown in Fig. 1, but with anX-ray tube of the common form substituted for the Coolidge tube, thewires, which in the case shown in Fig. l conduct theexcitlng-current tothe tube, being shown in this figure (Fig. 2) partly dotted to indicatethat during the operation of the form of tube ures, l have illustratedone form of terminal carried by the X-ray holder adapted to convey tothe X-ray tubes of both types, the high tension current; and in the caseof the Coolidge type, in addition, the exciting current. Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 1 showing alternating current. as the source ofexciting current and showing the transformer for reducing its voltagefor supplying the heating element of the Coolidge tube with current,this view showing a Coolidge tube in the holder adapted to be shifted,with a form'iof terminal on the holder ditfering from that disclosed inFigs. 1 and 2 for supporting and insulating the high tension andexciting currents. Fig. t is a view like Fig. 2 of the X-ray tube-holderof Fig.

3showing an -ray tube of common form positioned therein. Fig. 5 is aview in elevation, partly sectional, of the terminal connected with theX-ray tube-holder of Figs. 1 and Q, carrying the terminals forconnection with the cathode of either kind of Xray tube. Fig. 6 is aview in side'elevation, partly sectional, of my adapter for use with aCoolidge tube. Fig. '1 is a plan view of the adapter shown in Fig. 6.Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the adaptershown in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a viewin elevation, partly sectional, of a desirable form of duplex-reeltauting device (shown in Figs. 1 to at, inclusive) for holding taut thewires which conduct the exciting current to the heating element of theCoolidge tube; and Fig. 10 a section taken at the line 10 on Fig. 9 andviewed in the direction of the arrow.

Referring particularly to Fig. l of the drawings, a holder for an X-raytube is represented at 20, thisv holder being stationary or movabledepending upon the particular connection in which it is to be used. Theholder 20 is provided with spaced posts 2l in accordance with commonpractice, constructed and arranged to support an X-ray tube at theopposite ends of the latter, the variety of tube shown in this figurebeing of the so-called Coolidge type.

The following brief description of the socalled Coolidge tube will aidin the understanding of certain features of my invention: The Coolidgetube, represented at 22 in Fig. 1 and also in Fig. 3 of the drawings, isthe same as the ordinary X-ray tube, excepting that an electric heatingelement is associated with the cathode of the tube, and a screw-plugconnection for the cathode with the source of exciting current for theheating element and one of the terminals of the high tension circuit isprovided, the anode end being the same as that of the ordinary tube. Thecathode wire 23 is connected at one end with the center contact of ascrew-plug secured to this end of the tube, its opposite end beingelectrically connected with one end of a heating coil in the tube, theother end 29 of this coil being electrically connected with the metallicscrew threaded shell of, the said screw-plug.

The tube-holder 20 is provided with the usual high tension terminals 32and 33, which lead from a source of high tension current (not shown) forenergizing the X- ray tube, in accordance with common practice, thecommon form of tube and the Coolidge type of tube presenting the commoncharacteristic of requiring connection at its anode and cathode with theterminal-s of a high tension circuit. The terminal 33 is connected witha wire 34 which hooks on, or is otherwise secured to the anode of thetube 22, and is likewise adapted to make electrical connection with theanode of the common form of tube .when employed as hereinafterexplained.

As hereinbefore explained, it is necessary where a Coolidge tube, or anyother tube of the type employing a heating element, is used that acurrent be supplied to the heating coil in addition to the high tensioncurrent supplied through the terminals 32 and 33, and as one of theterminals of the high tension circuit is connected with a wire of thecathode, it is necessary that this high tension wire be adequatelyinsulated from the holder to prevent grounding and shortcircuiting. Inthe arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1, I employ a cylindrical member 35,provided witha collar 36, the member 35 extending through and beingsecured in an opening 37 in a side of the holder 20. The member 35,which is hollow, contains a metallic tube 38, threaded at its oppositeends where it extends beyond said member, with nuts 39 and 40 screwingthereon for holding the tube in position in the member 35, the

,lowerend of the tube 38 extending through an opening in a portion of,the high tension terminal 32 and against which the nut 40 is screwed,making a firm electrical contact between the terminal 32- and the tube38. Extending through the tube 38 are two wires 41 and 42, these wiresbeing insulated from each other. The ends of the wires 41 and 42, on theinside of the holder 20, are electrically connected at their ends withhook devices 43 and 44, respectively, these wires being provided forconnection with a source of suitable current, as is hereinafterdescribed, for furnishing current to the heating coil of the tube. Thewire 42 has coiled about the end thereof which is within the holder 20,a wire 45 which is connected at one end with the metallic tube 38 and atits opposite end with the metal ferrule securing the hook 44 in place onthe wire 42, whereby the hook 44 is in electrical connection with thehigh tension terminal 32 through the medium of the tube 38 and wire 45.

The hooks 43 and 44 therefore form terminals not only for the circuitwhich supplies current to the heating coil of the tube, but also one ofthe terminals, namely, for the cathode end of the tube,of the hightension circuit.

As before explained, the Coolidge tube is provided with a screw-plug atits cathode, and to facilitate the making of electrical connections, Iprefer to provide an adapter shown particularly in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, andof which the following is a description: The body of the adapter is inthe form of a disk 46 of insulating material preferably having itsperiphery knurled. To one face of the disk 46 a metallic screw-shell 47is secured through the medium ofa bolt 48, this bolt passing through awasher 49 of insulating material, and through, but out of contact with,a metal strip 50, the latter being in electrical contact with the shell47 and connected with a connecting device 51; the bolt 48 also passingthrough a strip 52 on the under face of the disk 46 connected with aconnecting device 53. Thus the device 51 is electrically connected withthe shell 47 and the device 53 is electrically connected with the bolt48, the upper headed end 54 of the latter forming a center contact. Theshell 47 of the adapter is formed to screw upon the plug carried by thetube as above stated and when screwed into place thereon makeselectrical contact between the shell 47 and the screw-threaded shell ofthe plug and between the center terminal 54 of the adapter and thecenter contact of this It will be readily understood from the foregoingthat the connecting devices 51 and 53 furnish means for connecting theholeks 43 and 44 in electric circuit with the As hereinbefore stated,the source of exciting current for the heating coil may be either directcurrent, as from a storage battery, or alternating current. In thearrangement illustrated in Fig. 1, I have shown a storage, battery asthe source of exciting current, whereas in Fig. 3, I have 130 shown thesource of exciting current as transformed alternating current suppliedfrom any suitable service-line.

Continuing the description particularly with reference to Fig. 1, astorage battery is represented at 55, the terminals 56 and 57 of whichconnect by wires 58 and 59 with binding-posts 60 and 61, respectively,on a board 62 supported in any suitable manner, the' wire 64 and is ofany desirable construction, its contact device 86, which is electricallyconnected with the post 82 to which the wire 64 is attached, beingmovable along the resistance coil 80 which connects with the wire 64leading from the binding post 61.

As hereinbefore stated, and as will be apparent from the foregoingdescription of the construction, it is desirable, in view of the factthat the wires 41 and 42 while not in series with the, high tensioncircuit for the tube 22 are connected therewith and thus high tensioncurrent could be grounded by either of the wires 41 or 42 touching, orclosely approaching, an object through which grounding could take place,that these exciting-current-conducting wires be maintained in tautcondition while the tube 22 is in use. I prefer to accomplish this byusing the construction of which the following is a description: Thedevice shown comprises a plate 91 of insulating material v backed by aplate 92 of metal, these plates being secured together and equipped witha post 93 adapted to fit into a socket (not shown), for supporting the.device. -At opposite ends of these plates are binding-posts 94 and 95,the attaching screws 96 and 97 of'which serve to connect with theseplates yoke-shaped metal members 98 and 99, respectively. The attachingscrew 97 for the post 95 passes through one end of the yoke 99 whichflatwise opposes the plate 91, through the plates 91 and 92 and into thebinding-post 95, the screw 97 passing through a bushing 100 ofinsulating material located in the openings in the plates 91 and 92through which the screw 97 passes, and a washer 101 interposed betweenthe bindingpost 95 and the metalplate 92, whereby the binding-post 95 iselectrically connected with the yoke 99, but insulated from the plate92. The attachin screw 96 of the post 94 passes through t e end of theyoke.

98 which bears flatwise against the plate 91 and through the plates 91and 92 and into the binding-post 94, a metallic washer 102 surroundingthe screw 96, being interposed between the plate 92 and said post,whereby the post 94 is not only in electrical contact with the yoke 98,but also with the plate 92. Each of the yokes 98 and 99 is equipped witha reel 103, formed of plates 104 secured together by bolts 105'withspacers 106 surrounding the bolts and interposed between said plates,these plates being journaled at openings 10'? on a pin 108 screwed intothe yoke-member. The pivot-pin 108 contains a slot 109 in which one endof a spiral spring of thewires 63 and 64 or vice versa. In thearrangement illustrated in Fig. 1, the connections with the tautingdevice are shown as they will exist when said device is mounted to movein conjunction with the holder 7 20. In this case the wires 41 and 42will be connected with the binding-posts 94 and 95, respectively, of thetauting device, and the wires 63 and 64 will be connected with thereels, by winding them at their ends upon the reels (Figs. 9 and 10),The portions of these wires which are wound upon the reels may be firststripped of their insulation' or not, as desired. One end of each of thewires 41 and 42 is connected with the metallic part of each reel, as forexample, as indicated at 111 in Fig. 10. The wires 63 and 64 are thenelectrically connected with the pivot-pins 108 of these respectivereels, and thus in electrical connection with the respective yokes 98and 99. It will be readlly understood from the foregoing that byproviding a preliminary tension on the springs 110, the movement of theholder 20 1n the operation of the X-ray apparatus, toward or away fromthe support 62, will cause the reels to roll up thoseportions of thewires 63 and 64 which would otherwise cause the wires to sag, the reelsoperating to take up the slack in these wires regardless of the movementof the holder 20 relative to said support.

A description of the operation of the ap paratus of Fig. 1 employing theCoolidge tube 22 is as follows: A high tension current passes throughthe terminal 32, tube 38, wire 45, hook 44, connecting device 53 of theadapter, thence to the contact 54, center contact of the plug on thecathode end of the tube, wire 23, thence to theanode and to the otherterminal 33 of the high tension circuit. The operator to energ1ze theheating element of the cathode to regulate the quantity of X-raysemitted from the tube 22 adjusts the movable contact 86 of the rheostat,by shifting the rod 87 connected therewith, to the desired position onthe rheostat coil 80, the current from the storage battery passing fromthe post 57 to the wire 59, post 61, wire 64, post 81, thence throughthe coil 80 to contact 86, through bar 84 to post 82, thence through acommon form of electric meter represented at 112, thence to the reel ofthe tauting device connected with the binding-post 94, through the wire41 to hook 43, connecting device 51, adaptershell 47, wire 29,heating-coil, wire 23, contact 54, connecting device 53, hook 44, wire42, to the binding-post 95, reel connected with the latter and throughthe wire 63 to the other binding-post 56 of the storage battery.

Referring to Fig. 2, the holder 20 isshown as equipped with an X-raytube of the common'form, represented at 114. It will be understood thatin this case the low-tension exciting current hereinbefore described isnot used, and the rheostat member 86 would be thrown to shut-offposition, namely, in registration with the insulated portion 78 of therheostat. Both of the hooks 43 and 44 of the wires 41 and 42,respectively, or the hook 44 only, would be hooked into the ring 115connected with the cathode of the tube 114, in which case the circuit ofthe high tension current supplied at the terminals 32 and 33 would bethe same as that described of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 3, a slightly differentarrangement of the X- ray tube-holder and the terminal thereon, as wellas a different source of exciting current for the heating element of theCoolidge tube is provided. The X-ray tube holder represented at 116 isshown as mounted on wheels 117 to be shifted back and forth, as forexample, in connection with a table for radiographic or fluoroscopicwork, and is provided with tube-supporting arms 118. The terminal 33 ofthe high tension current for operating the tube 22 contains a tautingdevice 119 of an desirable and well-known construction an connects withthe anode end of the tube 22. The tube 22 in this figure is shown asequip ed with an adapter,

as hereinbefore explalned of the tube 22.

Instead of providing the construction shown in Fig. 5 for insulating thehigh tension terminal 32 from the holder 116, I employ two similartubular members 120 and 121 of in sulating' material which are confinedin openings in the bottom ofthe holder 116 and through which the wires41 and 42 pass, these wires winding upon reels of a tauting device likethat hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figs. 9 and10, secured ina position stationary relative to the tubeholder 116, the binding-posts94 and 95 of this tauting device being connected with the wireshereinafter described in circuit with the source of current for excitingthe heating element of the tube 22, the terminal 32 of the high tensioncircuit connecting with the post 93 which is in electrical connectionwith the plate 92 and thus with the reel on the yoke 98. It will beunderstood from the foregoin that the high tension current reaches t ecathode of the tube 22 by passing through the wire 32, plate 92 of thetauting device, the reel on the yoke 98, wire 41, connecting device 53of the adapter, center contact 54 of the adapter and the center contacton the screw-plug of the tube.

The source of exciting current for the heating element of the tube inthis arrangement is alternating current, as for example that suppliedfrom the service-line, and which requires a transformer to reduce itsVolta e for use in heating this element. A trans ormer is showndiagrammatically in Fig. 3 at 122, and the line-wires for supplyingalternating current thereto at 123 and 124, which connect withbinding-posts 125 and 126, respectively, of the primary of thetransformer. The binding-posts of the secondary of the transformer arerepresented at 127 and 128, these posts being connected by wires 129 and130 with binding-posts 131 and 132, respectively, on the board 133,which corresponds with the board 62 of Fig. 1. In thisarrangement, arheostat such as that shown in Fig. 1 is employed, the binding-post 81of the rheostat being connected by a wire 134 with the binding-post 132and the binding-post 82 of the rheostat being connected with a wire 135,in which latter is interposed a meter 112. A wire 136 connects with thebinding-post 131 and with the bindin -post 94 of the tauting device, thewire 1 5 being connected with the other binding-post 95 of this tautingdevice, it being understood in practice that the wires 135 and 136 willextend in taut condition from their points of connection at the board133 to the binding-posts 94 and 95 as the tauting device is stationarywith the board The rheostat shown in Fig. 3 will operate in the samemanner upon the current supplied by the transformer as it does upon thedirect current furnished by the storage battery employed in theconstruction illustrated in Fig. 1.

In using the structure illustratedin Fig. 3

in connection with a common form of tube 114 (Fig. 4), the hook 43 onthe wire 41 is of tube is used in this arran ement, the

source of exciting current woul be cut out by adjusting the movablemember 86 of the rheostat into a position of registration with theinsulated portion 78 thereof, and the high tension current would passfrom the terminal 32 through the member 93 of the tauting device, thencethrough the late 92 to the yoke 98, the reel being carrie by the latter,and the wire 41 to the cathode of the tube 114.

While I have illustrated certain constructions wherein the variousfeatures of my invention are embodied, I do not wish to be understood asintending to limit my invention to these particular constructions as itmay be embodied in other forms and in structures constituting themodifications of the structures described herein, it being my intentionto claim the various features of my invention as fully and completely asthe prior state of the art will permit.

What I claim as new and desire to secure 4 by Letters Patent is v 1. InX-ray apparatus, the combination of a source of electric current of acharacter adapted to energize the heating element of an X-ray tube of atype having a heating element, and a source of high tension current, theterminal portions of the wires leading from said sources of currentbeing adapted for connection with an X-ray tube of saidabove-referred-to type at terminals on the latter of a characterpermitting of the attachment thereto of separable conductors, and forattachment to the terminals of an X-ray tube without'such heatingelement.

2. In X-ray apparatus, the combination of a source of electric currentof a character adapted to energize the heating element of an X-ray tubeof a type having such an element as its cathode, and a source of hightension current, the terminal portions of thewires leading from saidfirst-named source of electric current being adapted for connection withan X-ray tube of the above-referred-to type at the cathode heatingelement terminals on the latter of a character permitting attachmentthereto of separable conductors and for attachment to the cathodeterminal of an X-ray tube without such heating element, One

of the wires leading from said other sourceof electri'clcurrent beingadapted for connection with the anodes of X-ray tubes of saidabove-referred-to type and tubes not having such heating elements, withthe other wire leading from said last-referred-to source of current inelectric communication with one of the wires leading from saidfirst-named source of current. v

3. In X-ray apparatus, the combination of a source of electric currentof the character adapted to energize the heating element 7 of an X-raytube of a type having a heating element, a source of high tensioncurrent, a tube of said type, an adapter connected with the terminals ofthe heat ng element of said tube and afiording terminals for connectintherewith separable terminals of currentc'onductors, conductorsconnected with said first-named source of current and with the terminalsof said adapter, and conductors leading from said other source ofcurrent, one of said last-named conductors being connected with one ofthe high tension electrodes of the tube and the other of said lastn'amedconductors being electrically connected with said heating element.

4; In X-ray apparatus, the combination of an X-ray tube of the typehaving a heating element, a source of high tension current, -a source ofcurrent suitable for energizing the heating element of said tube, amember secured to said tube and carrying connection posts, meansconnecting the terminals "of said heating element with said posts, meansfor connecting said posts with said source of heating current, means forconnecting one terminal of said high tension current to the anode ofsaid tube, and means for causing the other terminal of said source ofhigh tension current to be in electrical communication with one of saidconnection posts.

5. In X-ray apparatus, the combination of a source of electric currentof a character adapted to energize the heating element of an X-ray tubeof a type having such an element, a source of high tension current, acasing for receiving an X-ray tube, an insulating tube in said casing, apair of current conductors connected with said first-named source ofcurrent and passing through said insulating tube, a second insulatingtube in said casing, acurrent conducting member in said tube, means forconnecting one terminal of said second-named current source to saidconducting member, means for connecting the other terminal of saidsecond-named current source to one of the current conductors passingthrough said first-named insu lating tube, the terminal portions of allthe said current conductors passing ,through said insulating tubes intosaid casing being.

adapted for connection with an X-ray tube of the type having a heatingelement, at terminals on the latter of a character permitting of theattachment thereto of separable conductors, and for attachment to theterminals of an X-ray tube without such heating element.

6. In X-ray apparatus, the combination of a source of electric currentof a character adapted to energize the heating element of an X-ray tubeof a type having such an ele ment, and a source of high tension current,the wires leading from said first-named 'source of current beingprovided with hook devices, the terminal portion of one ofthe wiresleading from said other source of current'being adapted for connectionwith the anode of tube of the typehaving a heating element and a tubewithout such heating element, and the other wire leading from saidlast-referred to source of current being in electrical communicationwith one of the said hook devices.

7. In X-ray apparatus, the combination of an X-ray tube holder and acasing for said tube, a member of insulating material secured to saidcasing, a pair of conductors extending through said member with theirfree ends at the inside of the casing, and a third current conductingmember electrically connected with one of said conductors.

8. In X-ray apparatus, the combination of an X-ray tube holder and acasing for said tube, a member of insulating material secured to saidcasing, a pair of wires extending through said member with their freeends at the inside of the casing, and a third current-conducting memberlocated in said member of insulating material and electrically connectedat its inner end with the free end of one of. the wires within saidcasing.

9. In X-ray apparatus, the combination of a holder for an X-ray tube,with a casing about said tube, a member of insulatin material extendingthrough and supporte in a side of the casing, a current-conducting tubea in said member, wires leading into and through said insulating memberwith the free ends of the wires at the inside of the casing, means forconnecting said member of current-conducting material with an electriccurrent carrying wire, and means electrically connecting the inner endof said last-referred to member with the free end of one of said Wiresin said casing.

10. In X-ray apparatus, the combination of an X-ray tube having aheating element, a source of electric current for energizing the heatingelement of said tube, a source of high-tension current, wires leadingfrom said source of high-tension current and from said other source ofcurrent for connection with the electrodes of a tube without a heatingelement, and for connection with the electrodes of a tube having aheating element and with the terminals of the heating element thereof,and an adapter cooperating with said last-referred-to tube and adaptin0' this tube for connection with the ends 0? said wires shaped forattachment to the electrodes of a tube without a heating element.

JULIUS B. WANTZ. In presence of- J. THELEN, GEORGE M. BENNIE.

